Fitness Motivation: Working Out At Home

Going to the gym can be such a chore, especially when you factor in the traffic situation after work. This is why most people think it is easier to work out at home. Whether your place is convenient or not, it is hard to stay motivated when you are so close to temptation (the television and your bed). To help you resist said temptation and get into a solid workout session, here are seven tips that will motivate you to workout at home, even if it’s the last thing you want to do.

1. Find your digital fitness fit

The most important thing you can do is to find a fitness routine you will actually enjoy doing at home. Thanks to technology, you have access to many exercise options you can do with minimal equipment. Do your research and take out time to decide on the types of activities you enjoy. Fitness apps and websites can transform your phone into a personal trainer and your house into a fitness studio.

2. Set a reminder

Set a time for your workout session and write it down. It’s just like having to put down your dentist appointment or meeting to remind you of it. Set out time on your calendar for your workouts and plan your days and weeks around it.

3. Recreate a gym in your house

The tricky part about working out at home is that your house is not a gym (unless you have one). You need to set up a mini gym in your house, even if it just involves you putting your dumbbells next to a yoga mat in a space you’ve cleared up. Set up everything you need well ahead of time so that there are no excuses.

4. Dress the part

Simply wearing workout clothes, especially that favourite spandex item of yours, can help motivate you to exercise. Set out your clothes for your next workout session ahead of time. That way, you won’t have any excuses when it’s time to kick into action.

5. Tell someone

Research shows that social recognition makes us less likely to follow through with our intentions. So hold off on that tweet or snap about your workout plans until after your workout. Then, when you’ve totally killed it, feel free to make noise about it on social media. Add a sweaty selfie for effect. You may find yourself working harder for the extra satisfaction of sharing your progress and accomplishments afterwards.

6. Reward yourself

It’s perfectly okay to use small rewards to persuade yourself to workout. You can hold off on eating dinner or a snack until after your session to motivate you into getting it or promise yourself a new blouse when you reach your goal. Make sure, though, that you’re compensating yourself with something healthy. You don’t want to ruin all that work you’ve put in.

7. Cut it short

Although working out at home sounds like the worst thing ever (side eye at lazy people like myself), make a deal with yourself. You can tell yourself that you’ll do only half of the work you normally do. You may end up finishing the workout because you really only needed to get started. And if you don’t finish, you at least did half and that’s better than nothing. You can also focus on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises to get maximum results in less time.

The bottom line is that you need to find a routine you truly enjoy so that your workout doesn’t feel stressful regardless of where you’re doing it. You also need to make it a habit and control all the factors necessary to make sure it sticks. Your bed may look like it’s calling you, but you’d feel so much better if you only answered it after you’re done working out.